Automatic fire alarm



1958, H. D. LANE 2,859,723 r I I AUTOMATIC-FIRE YALARII Filed Sept. :ge, i957 VIuIIIIIIIIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA i" II/III/III/II/I/II/II/II/IIIIIIIIIIIIIII/I III HERBERT D. LAN E INVENTOR.

(I I ATTORNEY United States Patent Q 2,859,723 AUTOMATIC FIRE ALARM Herbert D. Lane, Oklahoma City, Okla.

Application September 16, 1957, Serial No. 684,300

Claims. (Cl. 116-106) The present invention relates to fire alarm devices, and more particularly to a device for producing prolonged and clearly audible warning signals when the ambient temperatures rise above a predetermined point.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved fire alarm of a whistle type.

Another object is to provide a device of this class, whereby loud and audible prolonged signals can be secured by means controlled by a fusible element.

Another object is to provide a device of this class, whereby melting of a fusible element releases a compressed gas, or the like, for operating a whistle alarm.

A similarly important object is to provide bell means for producing an audible sound, and which is actuated by the whistle means.

A further object is to provide a fire alarm of relatively small size which may be conveniently installed for use in business establishments, dwellings, and the like.

An additional object is to provide a device of this character wherein novel means are employed for controlling the release of a gas under pressure from a .receptacle or casing.

Still another object is to provide a device of this class which may be easily reset or recharged after once sounding an alarm.

The present invention accomplishes these and other objects by providing a gas-filled casing having an outlet in one end wall thereof. Spring actuated valve means within the casing closes the outlet and opens the same at a predetermined gas pressure. A whistle element is connected to the casing around the outlet opening. A plunger is slidably carried by the whistle and connected at one end to the valve. The opposite end of the plunger extends outwardly beyond the outer limit of the whistle element. A trip latch, carried by the casing and extending between an arm carried by the free end of the plunger, releases the bell means upon movement of the plunger. Inlet valve means, carried by the casing wall, permits the casing to be filled with gas under pressure. Elongated tubular means is connected to the casing in communication with the interior thereof, and a fusible plug element closes the free end of the tubular means. When the plug melts, gas escapes through the tubular means, and the spring means, carried by the casing and connected with the valve, opens the latter when the pressure within the casing is reduced below a predetermined setting, thus actuating the whistle and bell means. Inward movement of the plunger actuates a pivotally connected link which has one free end portion adapted to close the end of the tubular means connected to the casing.

Other objects will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying single sheet of drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a vertical cross sectional view of the device, partly in elevation;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device; and,

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the spring-wound bell escapement means. 7

Like characters of reference designate like parts in those figures of the drawings in which they occur.

In the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates a substantially closed cylindrical receptacle or casing having a wall 12 and ends 14 and 16. The casing 10 is adapted to be filled with a gas, such as air or the like, under pressure through an inlet valve 17 (Fig. 3). A pressure gauge 19 connected to the casing records the gas pressure therein. The end wall 14 is provided with an outlet opening 18. A valve seat 20 is connected to the inward surface of the end 14 around the opening 18. A valve 22 is adapted for opening and closing the outlet in cooperation with the seat 20. An elongated whistle element 24 is rigidly connected at one end to the casing end 14 around the outlet opening 18 and is adapted to produce a prolonged audible sound by the gas escaping from the casing through the outlet 18. A plunger 26 is slidably carried axially by the whistle element. The inwardly disposed end of the plunger 26 is rigidly connected to the valve 22 for movement therewith. The opposite free end of the plunger 26 extends outwardly beyond the outer limit of the whistle element. Spring means 28 extends between and is connected at its respective ends to the casing end 16 and a lug 29 connected to the valve 22. The spring means 28 is adjusted for unseating the valve 22 when the gas pressure falls below a predetermined setting. A nut 30 is threadedly carried by the free end portion of the plunger 26 for holding the valve 22 closed when pressure filling the casing.

Bell means 32 is carried by a shaft 34 connected to the casing end wall 14 adjacent the whistle element 24. The bell means 32 includes a bell 36 which houses a spring-wound escapement means 38, shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. A toothed wheel 40 engages with dogs 42, carried by the bell clapper 44, for actuating the latter when the escapement means is released. A trip latch 46 is carried by the casing and extends through the bell 36 and is provided with an enlarged portion 47 which is engageable with the clapper 44 for stopping the action of the latter. The outer end portion of the trip latch is provided with a lateral projection 48 which is in contact with an arm 50 carried by the free end portion of the plunger 26. Upstanding flanged edges 51, on the trip latch projection 48, holds the arm 50 in place. Movement of the plunger 26 by the action of the spring 28 causes the arm 50 to move the trip latch enlarged portion 47 out of contact with the clapper 44 and allows the escapement means 38 to actuate the clapper. Key means 52 is insertable through a perforation in the bell 36 for winding the escapement means spring 54. Obviously, the perforations in the bell 36, through which the trip latch 46 and the key means 52 passes, must be sufficiently large enough so that the tone of the bell will not be deadened by contact therewith.

A tubular element 56, of suitable material, is connected with the end wall 14 of the casing for communication with the interior thereof. The inward end of the tubular element is provided with a valve seat 57, inwardly of the casing end 14, for the purposes which will be presently explained. The tubular element is preferably connected to a spreader 58 having a plurality of outlets to which a like plurality of elongated small bore tubular extension elements of members 60 may be attached. One of the tubular members 60 is extended to each desired location. The free open end of each of the tubular elements 60 is closed by a fusible plug or cap 62 having a low melting point on the order of approximately 140 F. V

A link 64 extends between the lug 29 and the inwardly disposed end of the tubular element 56 and is pivotally connected intermediate itsendsbetween a pair of depending bosses 66 by a transversefulcrum pin 68. One end portion of the lug 29 is bifurcated for receiving the adjacent end of the link 64. A transverse pin 70 extends through the link 64 and is slidably carried by co-operatingly aligned slots formed in thebi'furcated end of the lug 29 for pivoting the link 64 on the pin, 68 as the valve 22 is unseated. The opposite or free end of the link 64 is provided with a tapered circular valve 72 adapted to contact and seal with the valve seat 57 for closing the inward end of the tubular element 56 when the valve 22 is unseated, for the reasons more fully explained hereinbelow.

Operation By way of example, the operation of the device in a dwelling or residence will be described. The casing 12 is filled by tightening the nut 30 against the adjacent end of the whistle 24, thus sealing the outlet opening 18. The casing is then filled with gas to the desired pressure through the valve 17. After filling the casing, the nut 30 is backed off from the contact with the whistle a distance sufficient to permit the plunger to move the valve 22 and the lug 29 and pivot the link 64 into contact with the circular valve seat 57. The bell escapement spring 54 is wound by the key 52. The device is then placed in a desired convenient location. The tubular element 56 is extended upwardly into the attic space. One tubular member 60 is extended to the desired location of each respective room of the house and the free end of the member 60 is inserted downwardly through a perforation in the ceiling 74. The fusible plug element 62 is connected to the free end of the element 60 for closing the same. When a fire occurs the plug 62 melts to open the free end of the tube element 6%). When the gas pressure has been reduced a selected amount, for example five pounds, the tension spring 28 overcomes the pressure of the gas against the valve 22 and unseats the latter, thus permitting gas to escape into the whistle element 24 which continues to emit an audible sound until the supply of gas has been exhausted. Movement of the lug 29 with the valve 22 pivots the link 64 seating its valve end 72 in the tubular seat 57, thus shutting off further escape of gas through the tubing 56 and 6t), thereby permitting the remaining volume of gas to be utilized for blowing the whistle. Unseating of the valve 22 moves the plunger 26, whereby the arm 50, contacting the trip latch lug 48, moves the trip latch enlarged portion 47 to release the bell clapper 44. The spring wound escapement means 38 then rings the bell 36 by actuating the clapper, thus sounding a second warning sound simultaneously with the action of the whistle. The pressure gauge 19 permits the device to be checked occasionally to determine whether any leak may be present in the system, and to insure that the casing is sufficiently charged.

Obviously the invention is susceptible to some change or alteration without defeating its practicability, and I therefore do not wish to be confined to the preferred embodiment shown in the drawings and described herein, further than I am limited by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A whistle and bell fire alarm, comprising: a casing filled with gas under higher than atmospheric pressure and having an endwall provided with an outlet opening; whistle means connected to said casing around the outlet opening, said whistle means adapted to be operated by the gas escaping from said casing through the outlet opening; a plunger slidably carried by said whistle means and extending beyond the ends thereof, the inwardly disposed end of said plunger projecting into said casing through the outlet opening; a valve connected to the inward end of said plunger for closing the outlet opening, said valve normally held in closed position by the gas pressure within said casing; stop means carried by said plunger for limiting the inward movement of the latter; a spring extending between and connected at its respective ends to said valve and an opposing wall of said casing for unseating said valve and discharging gas through said whistle means and sounding an alarm when the gas pressure in said casing is reduced below a predetermined setting; tubular means connected to the said end wall of said casing in communication with the interior thereof; a fusible element for normally closing the free end of said tubular means; and a link pivotally carried by said casing, said link being connected at one end to said valve and extending between said valve and the end of said tubular means connected with said casing, the free end portion of said link forming a valve member adapted to interrupt communication between the interior of said casing and the bore of said tubular means when said link is pivoted responsive to the unseating movement of said valve connected to said plunger.

2. Structure as specified in claim 1, and bell alarm means carried by said end wall adjacent said whistle means, said bell alarm means having spring wound escapement means for ringing the bell; and means connecting said bell escapement means with the outwardly disposed end of said plunger whereby movement of said plunger in response to reduced gas pressure in said casing releases said spring wound escapement means.

3. A whistle fire alarm, comprising: a casing filled with gas under higher than atmospheric pressure and having an end wall provided with an outlet opening; whistle means connected to said casing around the outlet opening, said whistle means adapted to be operated by the gas escaping from said casing through the outlet opening; a plunger slidably carried by said whistle means and extending beyond the ends thereof, the inwardly disposed end of said plunger projecting into said casing through the outlet opening; a valve connected to the inward end of said plunger for closing the opening, said valve normally held in closed position by the gas pressure within said casing, a spring extending between and connected at its respective ends to said valve and an opposing wall of said casing for unseating said valve and discharging gas through said whistle means and sounding an alarm when the gas pressure in said casing is reduced below a predetermined setting; tubular means connected to the said end wall of said casing in communication with the interior thereof, the inwardly disposed end of said tubular means having a circular valve seat; a fusible plug element for closing the free end of said tubular means; and a link pivotally carried by said casing, said link being connected at one end to said valve and extending between said valve and said circular valve seat, the free end portion of said link formed to describe a circular valve adapted to seal with said circular valve seat when said link is pivoted by the unseating movement of said valve.

4. Structure as specified in claim 3, and bell alarm means carried by said end wall, said bell alarm means having spring wound escapement means for ringing the bell; and means connecting said bell escapement means with said plunger whereby movement of said plunger in response to reduced gas pressure in said casing releases said spring wound escapement means.

5. A whistle and bell fire alarm, comprising: a casing filled with gas under higher than atmospheric pressure and having an end wall provided with an outlet opening; inlet valve means for filling said casing; whistle means connected to said casing around the outlet opening, said whistle means having a bore coaxially aligned with the outlet opening in said casing, said whistle means being adapted to be operated by the gas escaping from said casing through the outlet opening; a plunger slidably carried by the bore of said whistle means and extending beyon the ends thereof; a valve axially connected to the inwardly disposed end of said plunger for closing the outlet opening, said valve being normally held in closed position by the gas pressure within said casing; a nut threadedly carried by said plunger for limiting the inward movement of the latter; a bifurcated lug connected to said valve opposite said plunger; a spring extending between and connected at its respective ends to said valve and an opposing wall of said casing for unseating said valve and discharging gas through said whistle means and sounding an alarm when the gas pressure in said casing is reduced below a predetermined setting; tubular means connected to said end wall of said casing in communication with the interior thereof, the inwardly disposed end of said tubular means having a valve seat; a fusible plug element for normally closing the free end of said tubular means; a link pivotally carried by said casing, said link being connected at one end to said bifurcated lug and extending between said lug and the valve seat of said tubular means, said link having a valve formed on its end opposite said lug adapted to seal with the valve seat of said tubular means, whereby inward movement of said plunger pivots said link for closing the valve seat in said tubular means and preventing loss of gas through said tubular means; a laterally projecting arm carried by the outer free end of said plunger; bell alarm means carried by said casing adjacent said whistle means; spring wound escapernent means adapted for ringing said bell means; a trip latch carried by said casing in contact with said arm for releasing said escapement means in response to inward movement of said plunger.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS 418,342 Great Britain Oct. 23, 1934 

